Analysis Of Ishmael Beah's Radiance Of Tomorrow

Aristotle, Confucius, and many more embody the spirit of learning. They understood the positive impact education has on individuals. They understood how education enhances the mind and helps the development of a broad perspective of the world. They understood the necessity of education in moving society forward. They understood that education needs cherishing and protecting. Unfortunately, not everyone understands. The current people in power in Sierra Leone do not understand. After the civil war, foreigners and corruption took over a vast majority of the country and the livelihood of the people got pushed out. The current state of education looks bleak, and no has a guaranteed solution. In Ishmael Beah’s book two men named Benjamin and Bockarie

In Radiance of Tomorrow Ishmael Beah uses the devices of characterization, symbolism, and setting to convey how the education system has evolved for the worse with various obstacles blocking students from receiving the education they deserve.

The history and personality of Beah’s characters prove the claim that the education system in Sierra Leone before the war reigned superior compared to the current system. The principal, Mr. Fofanah, at the school Bockarie works for has just announced that the Sierra Leone education department requires every student to have a school uniform or they couldn’t attend school, a notion that Bockarie highly objects to. He begins to rant, “‘What sort of “improvement” is this that only increases the burden on parents? What difference will it make to have a uniform if your school has no materials, if your teachers don’t receive proper salaries, if the quality of the teachers is poor because they haven’t received training in years?’ Bockarie had more to say, but he stopped.” (97) This outburst appears as an extreme deviation of Bockarie’s calm, level-headed, and positive character. Also, the phrase “[he] had more to say, but he stopped,” tells the reader that Bockarie seemingly caught himself from